UPDATE: Senators nod bill on no free luggage on non-refundable fare flights

(Rewrites story)

MOSCOW, Jul 25 (PRIME) -- The Russian Federation Council, the parliament’s supreme chamber, approved on Tuesday a draft law allowing airlines to provide no free luggage services under non-refundable fares.

By virtue of the rule, the hand luggage service must remain free. Air carriers will be obliged to inform passengers about the luggage and hand luggage carrying conditions before the ticket purchase.

The bill also includes a stipulation that the refundable ticket fare must include a free luggage limit.

The amendments are to come in force if the president signs the bill into law.

A committee of the Federation Council earlier proposed turning down the bill because of probable negative implications for consumers and the existence of a gray area in regulations of hand luggage. But according to a source in the authority, the senators will most probably approve the bill despite the criticism.

The Transport Ministry offered to allow passengers to have at least 10-kilograms of free luggage under refundable fares.

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